Bernard w



(No Model.)

Bfw. F. LA MOTHE.

METALLIC CAR PLATFORM.

Patented Oct. 16, 1888 I ri 74 N PETERS. Phoiwlimogmplmr, Wamin mn, D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BERNARD WI F. LA MOTHE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

METALLIC CA R-PLATFORM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 391,164, dated October 16, 1888.

Application filed March 5, 1886. Serial No. 266,190.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, BERNARD W. F. LA Moran, of the city and State of New York, have inventedan Improvement in Metallic Railway-Gar Platforms, of which the following is a specification.

My present improvement relates to that class of railway'ear platforms in which there are longitudinal tubes or rods connected together in pairs by bands passing around the tubes or rods; and my invention consists in the combination,with these parts, of an expansive strut that is to be inserted between the pairs of tubes or rods and lengthened so as to tighten up the bands and hold them in the most firm and reliable manner.

In the drawings, Figure l is an elevation of a portion of the metallic car-platform frame; and Fig. 2 is a crosssection, in larger size, showing the tubes, the clip, and the strut in section, the band being in elevation.

The longitudinal tubes A are of a proper size, according to the strength of platform re quired for the car in cases where the bars or rods are made use of in place of the tubes. These tubes or bars are made use of in pairs and at suitable distances apart, and atintervals along the pairs of tubes the tie-bands B are ap plied. These tie-bands are composed each of a strip ofsheet metal, preferably of steel, rolled up and the ends bent outwardly, and confined by a clip, 0, passing around and holding the convolutions together, and the ends of this sheet-metal strip hook over the edges of this clip. This band, however, has been made use of before and is not my invention.

The strut I make use of between the bars or tubes is shown at D, and it is employed to force the tubes away from each other and apply a powerful strain or tension upon the band B, and it is preferable to groove or recess the tube or bar where each band is applied, so that the expansive action of the strut causes the band to tightly confine the tubes or bars where such recess or indentation .is applied. I have represent-ed the strut as made of three (No model.)

parts, the end portions, 3 and 4, being in the form of segmental nuts, the concave faces of which rest against the exterior surface of the tubes, and the screw-threaded portions of such nuts receive the screw-threaded ends of the tube or rod 5, the screw-threads being right and left handed at the respective ends, so that after the strut has been inserted between the tubes or bars and within and adjacent to the bands B such struts are expanded by partially revolving the tubular or central portion, 5, of such struts,and thereby increasing the distance between the concave faces of the segmental nuts and applying a powerful distending action between the respective tubes or bars, and the force may be sufficient to partially embed the segmental nuts into the surface of the metal tubes or bars, and thereby effectually prevent one part slipping upon the other.

It is not necessary to make a screw-thread at each end of the central portion of the strut. I have shown in Fig. 2 one of the segmental nuts as recessed sufficiently to receive one end of the central tube, 5, the screw-thread being upon the other end; hence the segmental nuts will be spread apart by revolving such tube 5.

I have represented the struts as applied in pairs adjacent to the edges of the connectingbands, as seen in Fig. 1, so as to render the structure much more rigid than would be the case if only single struts were made use of.

I claim as my invention The combinatiomwith the longitudinal tubes or bars in a car-platform and the tie-bands for uniting such tubes or bars in pairs, of the expansible strut having segmental nuts resting against the exteriorsurface of the tubes or bars and acting to distend the same and apply the tension to the connecting-bands when one portion of such strut is rotated, substantially as set forth.

Signed by me this 1st day of March, 1888.

' B. W. F. LA MOTHE.

\Iitnesses:

GEO. T. PINOKNEY," WILLIAM G. Mom. 

